Arc welding machine



Nov..5,`1935. .R K. HoPKlNs 2,019,971

l f ARG MJLDIN` MACHINE Filed May 11, 1952 INVENTOR BY V' 4f; @ma

ATTORNEY l Patented Nov. 5, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I The M. W. Kellogg Co., New York, N.

poration of Delaware Y., a cor- Appucation May 11,1932, seriaiNo. 610,555

12 Claims.

'I'his invention relates in general to arc-welding and in particular to arc-welding by the use of ceramic or other non-'conducting material covered welding electrode.

The advantages resulting from the use of ceramic or other non-conducting material covered electrode in arc-welding are well established, however, due to the fact that the covering is nonconducting, it has not been possible heretofore to arc-weld with covered electrodes without'a. considerable wastage of electrode material and undue prolongation of the operating time.

The machines at present used for arc-Welding with covered electrodes generally include a welding current carryingl welding head to which a bare end of the electrode is fastened. The welding head is actuated andcontrolled to carry the electrode to the arc in a. manner to maintain an arc of desired character. When anelectrode is consumed, the welding head must be returned to its original position for removal of the remainder of the used electrode and fastening in place a. new one. As the welding heads move at the same maximum speed in either direction, at least onehalf of the operating time is used in the backing up of the welding head and changing electrode. The fact that the arel is interrupted periodically for the reasons mentioned prevents the obtaining of a homogeneous and continuous weld.

Since the current is passed to the electrode through a fixed point, the heating of the upper portion, unless the length is kept comparatively short, is sometimes so excessive as to disintegrate the coating before it reaches the arc. Even if comparatively short lengths of electrode are used,

,since the welding head cannot be brought too close to the arc, a portion of the electrode must be wasted. f

My invention contemplates apparatus for carrying on arc-welding with a non-conducting material covered welding electrode as a continuous operation without any wastage of electrode material.

AIn accordance with my invention, a. covered electrode of indefinite length is provided which is made up oi' an indefinite number of easily loined sections and which exposes at spaced intervals contact areas through which the welding current can be passed to the arc. Apparatus is provided i'or feeding the electrode to the arc and the feed is Ycontrolled in a known manner to maintain an arc of desired character. The electrode on its way to the arc is passed through a device which deilnes a contact region oi extended length for continuously, or substantially continuously (Cl. 21S-8) contacting with each of the contact areas passing therethrough to thereby pass the welding current from a source of supply to the conducting core of the electrode'.

The particular nature of the invention, as well 5' v as other objects and advantages thereof, will appear most clearly by reference tothe accompanying drawing, wherein, A

Figurel is a front elevation, partly in section. of an arc-welding machine embodying my in- 10 vention,

Figures 2, 3, 4, and 5 are part sectional views of preferred forms of welding electrode,

Figure 6 is a sectional view of a second preferred form of the contact device of my inv'en- 15 tion,

Figure '7 is a sectional view of another -preferred form of the contact device, and

Figure 8 is a plan view of a. contact disc.

Referring to the drawing:

The welding current generator; the control means therefor, as well as the welding electrode oscillating motor, etc., which per se form no part of this invention, will ijor the purpose 'of this description be considered as located in rear of the 25 panel I with the welding electrode oscillating motor mounted to oscillate panel I. A welding electrode feeding motor 2, the control means of which (not shown) is located at the rear of panel I. is mounted on panel I to oscillate therewith. A groovcd wheel Y3 is keyed to the shaft of motor 2 and engages a portion 'of the bottom section of the welding electrode I. 'Ihe diametrically opposite portion oi' welding electrode l is engaged by a grooved wheel 5 which is mounted in a pivoted bracket G. A spring 'I has one end anchored in a loop at the bottom .of bracket 6, its other end being anchored in a loop on a bracket B, which lis bolted or otherwise fastened to panel I. -Spring 1 constantly urges wheel 5 into contact with welding electrode l and causes it to bear against wheel 3 with suflicient pressure to prevent slippage. The contact portions of wheels l and 5 are made of fibre or some such material to prevent damage to the electrode covering as welding electrode I passes between them.

' The member 9 supports the pivot oi' bracket 8 and is fastened to an L-shaped guide member III which is in turn fastened by means of brackets Il to panel I to oscillate therewith. The upper portion of guide member I0 has fastened thereto spaced guide brackets I2 through which pass the sections of the,welding electrodes l on their way to wheels I and 5. The lower portion of guide member Il is provided with a guide hole through u which passes me lwelding electrode 4 sa approachesthe arc.

'I'he welding electrode 4 is made up-of an indefinite number of sections, that is to say.- as one' section is consumed, another is added to the remaining section, or sections, and this procedure continued indennitely.' Each section comprises a metallic'core I3 about vwhich is formed a covering I4 of ceramic or other non-conducting material. :Eachv end of each section is provided with part of `a joint forming means. The joint formingmeans used must be such that the sections may be easily.

and quickly joined and the joint must be suill-A ciently strong to support the. weight of the weldingelectrode 4 below the wheels 3 and 5, also it the. end-of oneV .section and the beginning of the next.

Figures l and.2 show. the `sections provided' with male 'members I5 and female members IB'oiv a threaded joint and Figures 3 and 4 show the sections provided. at each end with female menibers I6 of `a threaded Joint. The sections of I electrode 4 shown in Figures 4 and 5 being Joined rent from the current supply to the metallic core Y by screwing'adjacent endsA on the threaded studs IB ofjint-f'ormlng'member I3. Member I3 be- .sides threaded studs I3 vincludes a disc 20 'of substantially the diameter of` electrode 4.2

Toprovid for the passage of the welding cur'- H I3 of the welding 'electrode 4, shown in Figures 1, 2, 3,. 6, andfl, portions of the covering I4,

the metallic core |.3;' The voids I1 in electrode covering I4 thus produced approximate a frustrum oi' acone in shape and as best shown in Figures 2 and 3, expose but asmall-portion of the electrode 'coreJ lI3 while. they allow ready acces for-contact'therewlthi 'The shape of voids l1 may be varied but to produce the result intended,

- 'it is essential that but a small/area of the surfaceof metallic core I3 be exposed and a minimum amount of the circumference of the covering I4 adjacent core .be broken.'. If too much of the `vcircumference 'of `core I3 is exposed, a part f covering `|4 immediately below therexposed'porltion willfall into the crater of the weld as the exposedportioncomes into the arc. This covering material might later be covered with l metal and'thus seriously weaken the weld. In the form `of welding electrode 4 shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, 6, land '7, voids |1v are provided at diametrically opposite portions thereof, at

"points equally spaced apart lalong the length t f I1 might be made onone side only or staggered.

lses

l trode is unnecessarily complicated.

thereof. This construction is very satisfactory but the invention is not limited thereto as voids The invention may be practicedsuccessfully with voids Il unequally spaced apart on electrode '4, but no advantage is 'gained by such uneven spacing ancl the manufacture of 'the welding 'elec'- It is'also possible to carry out my.

trode 4 comprises sectionsv whose ceramic covering I4 Ais entirely unbroken and the'ends of adjacent sections are screwed onto the threaded studs i8 of members I9 to form a continuous electrode. 4 of indefinite length whose non-conducting surface is periodically interrupted by/ the atmosphere through a protected port 29.

invention with electrode 4 of Figure 4. This form of` elecfl conducting surfaces of discs 20. The sections of this form of electrode 4 must be of compara- 'tively short length -so that 'at least one of the discs 20 is at all times in the contact .device to be hereinafter described.

Electrode 4, after passing between feed wheel .-3 and contact'wheel 5 onits way to the arc,

Aleast cover the whole of voids I1passing therethrough to prevent a ilow of mercury from upper 20 cup 22 to lower cup 23. The hole in partition 2-4 must be of such a size that the mercury will not flow between the sides thereof andthe surface of electrode 4 into cups 23. To prevent'such a ilow, 4and to obviate the rubbing of the f ace of e1ec` 25 trode 4 on the sides of the hole in partition 24, the hole in partition 24 may be made of a diam' ete'r somewhat larger than the diameter of electrode-4 anda gasket 25 of leather or other soft compressible material, having a hole therein .of 30 somewhat smaller diameter than the diameter of electrode 4, insetat the top of partition 24. As each of voids I1 passes from upper cup 22 to lower cup 23 o'. Vvolume of mercury equal to the.

. volume of void |1 passes into lower cup 23. By 35' equally spaced apart along' the" length of the I electrode 4, are ground out or otherwise removed to expose or substantially expose small areas of carried to the arc by reason of it sticking to the40 sides of voids I1, a compressed air line 50 enters 'lower cup 23 at diametrically opposite points to jet blasts of air against voids I1 asthey enter lower cp 23. 'I 'he air is allowed to escape to the 45 Container 2| is supported from'guide member lllby suitable brackets 30. The welding current is suppliedto container 21 by a cable v3| which :connects the welding current-genera tor,-not

shown, to' a band. 32 encircling container 2|., vA 50 cable 33 connects the work 34 to the welding current generator', 'not shown. Substances other than mercury, either inthe i/liquid or. gaseous form, for instance, low melting point white metal alloys may be used as the con- 5 5 tact medium i: upper cup .22. Ii.' -a white metal alloy is used, a heating means such as a resistance coil, not shown. may be provided aroundv or 'inside of upper cup 22 to supply the lheat necessary to maintain .the alloy in a molten'condition. 60 If desired, the containers 35 and v36 shown in. Figures 6 and 'I may be used in place of container 2|. Container '35 isV cylindrical and includes .a

' removable cover 31 and a bottom 33. A hole `is 65 provided in cover 31 and in bottom 33 to fallow the passage of electrode 4 therethrough. The spa-ce within container as is substanuauy. nues witlismall copper balls 36 to conduct the weld A ing current from the walls 3 9 to theexposed por- 7'0 tions ofv electrode 4'. Springs 4D are fastened to bottom 33 around the hole -thereixrto bear against electrode 4 passing therethroughto prevent the .balls 36 being carried by voids I1 out of container-35. Container 35 is supported from guide 75 member `I n and is supplied with the welding eurrent in the same manner as container 2 I Container Bti is also cylindrical and includes a removable top II `and a bottom I2.v A hole is 5 gprovidedin top II and bottom I2, to allow passage foi electrode I through `container 36'. To

I lII and discs I3 are brought int'o intimate contact with each other and'with the walls of container v3S.' lAps best shown in Figures discs I3- are ra dially slotted as at I5 to provide a plurality of L' resilient leaves. rThe central hole oi discs I3 is somewhat smaller than the diameter o1' core I3 of electrode I. If desired theends of the Aleaves of disc I3 may be somewhat curved. Container 36 is supported from guide members AIII and is supplied with the welding current in the san'ie manner as container 2|.

` A When the electrode I shownkin Figures l, 2, il,` 6, and 1, is used, the electrode I is supplied with' weldingl current through the areas of core lI3 exposed by the voids I1 passing through conrainer ze, ror as, 'or as. when me eiectrodel shown in Figure 4 is used,vthe electrode IA is supplied with weldingl current ythrough .discs 2l passing through container 2|, or 3,5, or 36. With either form of electrode I, the passage of current to the arc is continuous and by adding new sections to electrode I las sections are consumed, the welding may be continued indefinitely without interruption due to the necessity oi changing electrodes, etc.

'Ifhe electrode I, shown in Figure 5..is made up 'of sections identical with those oi electrode I of Figure I, however, the diameter of dis'cs 2Il of the members used to connect the' sections are greater with this form of electrode I, a contact device having continuous solid contact surfaces, i'or instance such as are dencd by members I1, may be used.

While'preferred Iorms 4ofthe invention have ybeenshown and described, it-is to be understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms and the various changes maylbe made in the structural' details without departing from the .principle of the invention 'as defined in the ap- `pended claims.

I claim: i 1. In an arc-welding 'machinejadapted to use awelding electrode'having a conducting core and a' non-conducting covering therefor interrupted atA regular intervals to provide 'current conducting contact) areas, welding circuit connections, means dening a substantially continuous contact zonev of a length exceeding the distance between a plurality of the contact areas oi the welding electrode, means electrically connecting said contact zone defining means'to said connections, and means for passing said electrode through said contact zone on its way to, the arc.

2. In an arc-welding machine adapted Ato use a. welding electrode having a conducting core and a non-conducting covering therefor interrupted at regular intervals to provide current conduct- 'ing contact areas, Welding lcircuit connections, a

container of a length exceeding the distance between a plurality of the contact areas of the elecy trode electrically vconnectedto said connections. means for passing the electrode through said container to the arc, and means for passing welding current from said container to said contaetareas y"as said lcontact areas pass through said cont'ainer.v

3. In an arc-welding machine adapted to use a n' welding electrode havinga conducting core and a non-conducting covering therefor interrupted at regular intervals to provide current conducting contact areas, welding circuit connections, a container of a length exceeding the distance between a plurality of the contact areas of the electrode electrically connected tosaid generator, means for passing `the electrode through said container v electrode through said container to the arc, and

uid contact means in said container contacting with said container-and Athe electrode passingtherethrough vfor passing welding current to said electrode. Y

5. In an arc-welding machine having welding circuit connections, a container electrically connected to saidconnections, means for passing an f electrode throughV said container to the arc, and

conducting spheres substantially illling the space in said container between said container and the electrode passing therethrough for ysupplying cur.- rent from said container to said electrode.

6. In an arc-welding machine having welding circuit connectionsga container electrically connected to said connections, means for passing an electrode through said container to the are, and

spring contact means closely spaced along the' length oi said container adapted to contact with said container and the electrode passing there- 7. In an arc-welding machine having welding circuit connections, a container electrically'con'- nected to said connections, meansy for passing an eletrodegthrough said container on its way to the arc, means dividing the' internal space of said container into an upperand a llower compartment, fluid contact means in said upper compartment contacting with the container and-said .electrode passing therethrough, and means associated with said lower compartment for returning to said upper-compartment any of said fluid contact means passing from Ysaid upper compartment to said lower compartment.

8. In an arc-welding machine adapted to use a' welding electrode having a conducting' core and a non-conducting covering therefor interrupted at regular intervals to provide current conducting contact areas, welding circuit connections, a continer electrically connected to said connections, 'means for passing the electrode through'said conitainer on its way to the arc, means dividing the internal space of said container into an upper and a lower compartment, said upper compartment being vof a length exceeding the distance between' a plurality of the contact areas oi the welding associated with said lower compartment for returningto said upper compartment any of said h l iluid contact means passing from said upper compartment to said lower compartment.

1ch ment being of -a length exceeding the distance 4between a plurality ofthe contact areas of the vand the electrode passing 9. In an arc-welding machine adapted incluse` a welding electrode having aconducting core and i a non-conducting covering therefor interrupted .v

at regular intervals to provide current conducting contact areas. welding circuit connections, a container electrically connected to said connections,

means 'for' passing the electrode -through said container on its way to the arc, means dividing- 'the internal space of said container intogan upper and a lower compartment, said upper compart` welding electrode and said dividing' means being rof a thickness exceeding the length o! the in- 1 terruptions in thehun-conducting covering 'of the welding electrode', fluid c ontact means in said up' per compartment contacting-with said container 10.WIn an arc welding o! the ter adapted to feed aweldihg electrode to an'arc rstruck between the welding and the mam-'ROM K'- Hopam, Newman stantially filling said container ,to

therethrough; means inf said lower compartment adapted to disengage workfwelding circuit .c aoniiectiians, @container` v electrically connected'to said connections,means for feeding an container adapted to'contact with substantially' 5 the whole of the surface lofthe welding electrodel passing throughsaid container. l 1i-. In an arc welding machine ofthe character. adapted to feed-a'welding 'electrocie'tci an are.'

struck between `the welding'electrode' and'thel' work, welding-'circuit connections, a container electrically. 'connected-to said connectionsl means for feedinganelectrode through saidcontainerto the arc, and electrically conductivev means sub,

substantially allcfthe welding electrode passing through said containers v y l -12. In an .arcweldinghine of the character adapted '.to feed a weldingelectrode to an arc struckl betweenthewelding electrode and\the 20` work, welding circuit connections, ,af lmaintainer electrically` connected to said connections, means for feeding. an electrodetothe arci and dg'af o rm al'ale electrically conductive means substantially filling-said container 'adapted to. contact with g5.

substantially th whole of the surface' of the weld;A-

vingelectrode throughs'aidcontainer.

x.v norms'.

.dsidlNovelber 5,1935. Disclaimnld .Fabra p .-321.1937 b 1thwww? www M. wl'Keuogg op., s 1 "E -ereb enters this Idisclaimer to 1 speciicatio'nf j f f' L fGdumMarcfUls 19374 electrode throughaid'container toy -the arc, and electrically conductive-means in said contact with-1s l 1ch ment being of -a length exceeding the distance 4between a plurality ofthe contact areas of the vand the electrode 9. In an arc-welding machine adapted incluse` a welding electrode having aconducting core and i a non-conducting covering therefor interrupted .v

at regular intervals to provide current conducting contact areas. welding circuit connections, a container electrically connected to said connections,

means 'for' passing the electrode -through said container on its way to the arc, means dividing- 'the internal space of said container intogan upper and a lower compartment, said upper compart` welding electrode and said dividing' means being rof a thickness exceeding the length o! the in- 1 terruptions in thehun-conducting covering 'of the welding electrode', fluid c ontact means in said up' per compartment contacting-with said container 10.WIn an arc welding o! the ter adapted to feed aweldihg electrode to an'arc rstruck between the welding and the mam-'ROM K'- Hopam, Newman stantially filling said container ,to

therethrough; means inf said lower compartment adapted to disengage workfwelding circuit .c aoniiectiians, @container` v electrically connected'to said connections,means for feeding an container adapted to'contact with substantially' 5 the whole of the surface lofthe welding electrodel passing throughsaid container. l 1i-. In an arc welding machine ofthe character. adapted to feed-a'welding 'electrocie'tci an are.'

struck between `the welding'electrode' and'thel' work, welding-'circuit connections, a container electrically. 'connected-to said connectionsl means for feedinganelectrode through saidcontainerto the arc, and electrically conductivev means sub,

substantially allcfthe welding electrode passing through said containers v y l -12. In an .arcweldinghine of the character adapted '.to feed a weldingelectrode to an arc struckl betweenthewelding electrode and\the 20` work, welding circuit connections, ,af lmaintainer electrically` connected to said connections, means for feeding. an electrodetothe arci and dg'af o rm al'ale electrically conductive means substantially filling-said container 'adapted to. contact with g5.

substantially th whole of the surface' of the weld;A-

vingelectrode throughs'aidcontainer.

x.v norms'.

.dsidlNovelber 5,1935. Disclaimnld .Fabra p .-321.1937 b 1thwww? www M. wl'Keuogg op., s 1 "E -ereb enters this Idisclaimer to 1 speciicatio'nf j f f' L fGdumMarcfUls 19374 electrode throughaid'container toy -the arc, and electrically conductive-means in said contact with-1s l 

